Geelani's son booked for spreading rumours through social media

Police on Monday registered a case against son of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani for rumour mongering on social media.

The Jammu and Kashmir police registered a case against rumour-mongers , who spread false information on social networking websites about casualties in recent protests in the Valley. Among those booked is Syed Naseem, Geelani's son who is a lecturer in agricultural university in Srinagar.

"Police have registered a case against all those involved in trying to vitiate the atmosphere by spreading rumours about deaths," Kashmir inspector general of police Abdul Gani Mir said.

He said that among those who posted rumours about a young boy being killed in Sumbal was one Facebook user 'Syed Naseem'.

Police had warned against misuse of social media on late Sunday evening.

In a statement police said, ``certain people are trying hard to vitiate the atmosphere by spreading rumours. Rumours of a young boy being killed in Sumbal, were floated by certain fake identity holders on Facebook. Reportedly one person with Facebook identity as Syed Naseem had also updated about death of a youth in Safa Pora which was not true. He later removed this post. All these Facebook miscreants are being identified and action would be taken against them.''

The statement also said that a case has been registered against the users in Kothibagh police station in city centre Lal chowk.

IGP Kashmiri Mir has appealed to all the people not to heed to the rumours.

"News channels are requested to publish or broadcast news, after confirmation,'' Mir said.

"Yes, I had posted that, but I removed it quickly when I heard that it was not true," Naseem said.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, spokesman Hurriyat Geelani Ayaz Akbar said, "Geelani Sahib's son is not active in any kind of politics. He had posted it but when it turned out to be a rumour, he had removed the post. One can't register FIRs on cases like these''.

"These are ploys to disturb Geelani Sahib but they won't work,'' he added.

Meanwhile, the police also arrested a sarpanch on charges of throwing stones at the police during protests against Thursday's killing in Ramban area of Jammu.

Mohammed Akbar Bhat,sarpanch of Bhat Mohalla, is among nine other persons arrested for violence in Palhallan area of north Kashmir's district.

Station house officer Mehboob Banday said Bhat was given a warning but to no effect.

"He continued indulging in violence and on Saturday damaged a vehicle of the paramilitary CRPF," he said.